To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

EVANSVILLE KLAN MEETING WITNESSED BY READER (Special to the Leader) Evansville, Ind., June 8th--To be in a position to give first hand information regarding the Ku Klux Klan the writer of this article attended the first public meeting of the Ku Klux Klan at the Colisium in Evansville, Ind., Friday night. After trying in vain to get some of the leaders of our group to accompany us we were only successful in getting the company of one young man, a lieutenant in the Reserve of the U. S. Army, who had the courage and backbone to go to the gathering, which was attended by more than five thousand white people. Upon entering the front door of this great building we could note the surprise of the many white people who were crowded about the entrances to the two doors, and immediately every one who was near withdrew and gave us all the room necessary to hear and see. We immediately noted the fact that we were detracting the attention from the stage upon which sat about twenty robed clansmen and a quartette of four white men who had the termity to lead
"My Country 'Tis of Thee" and after the singing of this national song, the so-called Apostle of Christianity, Rev. Caleb A. Ridley of Atlanta, Ga., was introduced to the vast audience as an exponent of the pure Anglo-Saxon race to expound the virtues of the Ku Klux Klan. In a slow manner, which was to give the impression of the gentlemen of leisure of the Old South, he began his speech of villification against the Jew, Catholic, Negro and all foreign born persons that have not been able to master the English language. In order to get applause it was necessary for the speaker to allude the gigantic, American flag that they were disgracing, that had a conspicuous place upon the stage. The speaker let the fact become known that the Ku Klux Klan was determined to get control of things politically in this country and forever remove the possibility of any Negro holding a political office of any nature in this our country. To the foreign born he accused them of leaving a country w hose emblem was a rag instead of a flag coming to this country and trying to dedicate the policies of this the Anglo-Saxon's country--He attempted to let it become known that the Negro was already in the discard, and the Jew and Catholic would soon follow. He claimed that the spirit of the old south, 1866 to 1870 would again prevail. He told of the history of the first Ku Klux Klan organization, and how they used to go after the Abolitionists and Carpetbaggers who came into the south trying to lead the Negroes out of darkness into the light by teaching them the first rudiments of education by meeting behind a barn and donning bed sheets and riding horses to inject fear into the minds of the Easterners and the Negroes. He claimed that a man had to prove that he was an Anglo-Saxon and a gentleman to get into the organization, when the writer's mind after listening to the requirements as explained by the speaker, no gentlemen, be he Anglo-Saxon or what not would care for member ship in this infamous organization. We are reminded of another speech that we have read of one Marc Antony, who was extolling the virtues of Brutus and inciting the assemblage to do damage to the very virtue he was extolling. Knowing that the appeal that he was making for no ones but gentlemen to join and find favor with this insidious organization would bring them for membership the very kind that they most desired, the riff-raff, lynchers, segregationists, mobocrats, and all others who are jealous of the colored Americans' progressive tendencies, caused him to lay great stress upon qualification for membership.
We are reminded, or rather we thought, while he was extolling the virtues of the American flag, that this same kind of southern gentlemen 57 years before had attempted to tear up the very flag that he was speaking so loudly about, and having failed then by the power of force, was now trying to bring about the results then desired by southern propaganda, under the guise of the Ku Klux organization. But it is said to the credit of some of the white people in the audience that they became so disgusted with what was being said that they departed with their wives completely disgusted. The organizer who was to remain in the city of Evansville, came from Tulsa, Okla., and I heard a white man remark that since they had burned up a lot of defenseless and helpless Negroes in Oklahoma he guessed he was coming to Evansville, Indiana to attempt to teach them to do likewise.
RELIABLE
URBAN LEAGUE HEAD TOLD PATHETIC STO­RY OF KIDNAPPING
PROTEST SEGREGATlON AT liNCOLN DEDICATION
NUMBER OF MAY LYNCHINGS SHOCK U. ~SENATORS I
KENTUCKY SOCIETY FREES AN OF URDER CHARGE

EVANSVILLE KLAN MEETING WITNESSED BY READER (Special to the Leader) Evansville, Ind., June 8th--To be in a position to give first hand information regarding the Ku Klux Klan the writer of this article attended the first public meeting of the Ku Klux Klan at the Colisium in Evansville, Ind., Friday night. After trying in vain to get some of the leaders of our group to accompany us we were only successful in getting the company of one young man, a lieutenant in the Reserve of the U. S. Army, who had the courage and backbone to go to the gathering, which was attended by more than five thousand white people. Upon entering the front door of this great building we could note the surprise of the many white people who were crowded about the entrances to the two doors, and immediately every one who was near withdrew and gave us all the room necessary to hear and see. We immediately noted the fact that we were detracting the attention from the stage upon which sat about twenty robed clansmen and a quartette of four white men who had the termity to lead
"My Country 'Tis of Thee" and after the singing of this national song, the so-called Apostle of Christianity, Rev. Caleb A. Ridley of Atlanta, Ga., was introduced to the vast audience as an exponent of the pure Anglo-Saxon race to expound the virtues of the Ku Klux Klan. In a slow manner, which was to give the impression of the gentlemen of leisure of the Old South, he began his speech of villification against the Jew, Catholic, Negro and all foreign born persons that have not been able to master the English language. In order to get applause it was necessary for the speaker to allude the gigantic, American flag that they were disgracing, that had a conspicuous place upon the stage. The speaker let the fact become known that the Ku Klux Klan was determined to get control of things politically in this country and forever remove the possibility of any Negro holding a political office of any nature in this our country. To the foreign born he accused them of leaving a country w hose emblem was a rag instead of a flag coming to this country and trying to dedicate the policies of this the Anglo-Saxon's country--He attempted to let it become known that the Negro was already in the discard, and the Jew and Catholic would soon follow. He claimed that the spirit of the old south, 1866 to 1870 would again prevail. He told of the history of the first Ku Klux Klan organization, and how they used to go after the Abolitionists and Carpetbaggers who came into the south trying to lead the Negroes out of darkness into the light by teaching them the first rudiments of education by meeting behind a barn and donning bed sheets and riding horses to inject fear into the minds of the Easterners and the Negroes. He claimed that a man had to prove that he was an Anglo-Saxon and a gentleman to get into the organization, when the writer's mind after listening to the requirements as explained by the speaker, no gentlemen, be he Anglo-Saxon or what not would care for member ship in this infamous organization. We are reminded of another speech that we have read of one Marc Antony, who was extolling the virtues of Brutus and inciting the assemblage to do damage to the very virtue he was extolling. Knowing that the appeal that he was making for no ones but gentlemen to join and find favor with this insidious organization would bring them for membership the very kind that they most desired, the riff-raff, lynchers, segregationists, mobocrats, and all others who are jealous of the colored Americans' progressive tendencies, caused him to lay great stress upon qualification for membership.
We are reminded, or rather we thought, while he was extolling the virtues of the American flag, that this same kind of southern gentlemen 57 years before had attempted to tear up the very flag that he was speaking so loudly about, and having failed then by the power of force, was now trying to bring about the results then desired by southern propaganda, under the guise of the Ku Klux organization. But it is said to the credit of some of the white people in the audience that they became so disgusted with what was being said that they departed with their wives completely disgusted. The organizer who was to remain in the city of Evansville, came from Tulsa, Okla., and I heard a white man remark that since they had burned up a lot of defenseless and helpless Negroes in Oklahoma he guessed he was coming to Evansville, Indiana to attempt to teach them to do likewise.
RELIABLE
URBAN LEAGUE HEAD TOLD PATHETIC STO­RY OF KIDNAPPING
PROTEST SEGREGATlON AT liNCOLN DEDICATION
NUMBER OF MAY LYNCHINGS SHOCK U. ~SENATORS I
KENTUCKY SOCIETY FREES AN OF URDER CHARGE